Question

Write short note on functions of insulin and glucagon.

Answer 1

Insulin and Glucagon are two hormones produced by the pancreas whose primary function is to regulate the carbohydrate metabolism.

Glucagon
It is a polypeptide hormone.
It is secreted by the pancreas when the glucose level in the blood drops.
It increases the blood glucose levels by initiating glycogenolysis (glycogen degradation) and stimulating gluconeogenesis (synthesis of glucose from non-carbohydrate molecules) in the liver cells.
Since it increases the blood glucose levels it is a hyperglycemic (hyper-more, glycemic-sugar levels) hormone
It also initiates lipolysis (degradation of lipid) in the adipose tissue.
Insulin
It is also a polypeptide hormone
It has antagonistic (opposite) effects of the hormone glucagon.
It is released when the glucose level in the blood raises.
It lowers blood sugar levels in different ways; increasing the uptake of glucose by all the cells in the body, initiating glycogenesis (glycogen synthesis) in the liver and muscle.
It initiates lipogenesis (synthesis of lipids/fat) and storage of fat in adipose tissue and inhibits gluconeogenesis
It is a hypoglycemic (hypo=less) hormone as it reduces the sugar levels in the